outdoor goldfish pond?

Question

We have a pond in the yard, it has been there for 9 years and is full of green allgea, I have put allgea killing products in it but there is a lot of green "stuff' on the bottom of the pond. is there any way to get rid if this without actually emptying the pond and starting again. do snails eat the allgae?

Answer 1

The reasons you get algae are from light and a buildup of nutrients.

Algae uses photosynthesis to make food, so if you cut off it's light, it can't survive. Get a few floating plants like water lettuce and water hyacinth or put in some floating-leaved plants like water lilies to shade the algae. These provide shade for any fish in the pond as well.

If you keep fish or live plants in the pond, and there are leaves and other organic items that fall into the water, the waste from the fish and the decomposing plants/leaves release ammonia (which is eventually converted to nitrate by bacteria) and phosphate into the water. Nitrate and phosphate are plant fertilizers. You may also fertilize any pond plants you have (and some newly purchased ones may have fertilizer already if they come pre-potted). The fertilizer not only fertilizes the pond plants, but the algae too. And unless you pond has a discharge where the water flows out, there's no way for these nutrients to be removed except to be incorporated into the plants and algae, or by doing a partial water change (like you do for an aquarium). You should do 25% water changes periodically in ponds.

Some other things that could help you out are using barley straw or a UV sterilizer. Neither will remove existing attached algae (for this you need to remove it by hand or using another method) but they will keep new algae from forming. The UV is a good method for removing "green water" or free-floating algae, however.

Fish and snails will eat some types of algae, but they don't eat sufficient amounts to keep the type of algae you're describing under control.

I'll put some links to more information about the barley straw and algae control below.

Answer 2

How big is your pond? Try to see if you can purchase some Sturgeon for it, they are bottom feeders and its a natural way to cleanse your pond. Check out some other bottom feeders. Try to put a filtration system in your pond. It keeps the water moving and wont grow algae as fast. Stagnant water makes algae more than moving water. I dont know about snails, but I doubt it.

Answer 3

no if u havent cleaned it out in a few years u ned to drain it all the way down and clean it out or have a professional do it for u if u live in Kansas near Wichita u can have SCENIC LANDSCAPE WATER GARDEN NURSERY. call at:
316-942-4861